Egypt’s el-Sisi Seeks Parliamentary Approval To Provide Defense to Saudi Arabia
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has called for an emergency parliamentary session to authorise defence assistance to Saudi Arabia if requested, as Houthi attacks intensify and Egypt’s possible entry into the Saudi-led Makkah defence pact remains under discussion.
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In a Nutshell
- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for an emergency parliamentary session on October 17 to authorise defence assistance to Saudi Arabia if requested, following a series of Houthi attacks on the kingdom.
- The latest escalation includes Houthi attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on October 10 and 11, which killed 14 people and wounded more than 300, as well as strikes on Saudi oil facilities.
- Egypt is one of the first countries in the region to consider offering military assistance to the Kingdom against the Houthis. This goes further than Iraq whose PM Ali Faleh al-Zaidi assured Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on October 14 that Iraq would not allow its territory to be used for attacks against Saudi Arabia or other regional countries, after a September drone strike on a Saudi oil pipeline was traced to Iraqi territory by both Riyadh and Baghdad.
- Earlier, on August 7, Egypt had shown interest in joining the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan. On August 9, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Egypt could join once technical issues were resolved.
Context
El-Sisi announced on October 17 that Egypt was prepared to take “any measure” to defend Saudi Arabia if requested, while stressing that Cairo did not intend to attack another country. He called for an emergency parliamentary session as the authorisation requires legislative approval. Egypt has a history of security cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including joining the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen in 2015, although its role has largely focused on securing Red Sea shipping routes rather than frontline combat. El-Sisi’s offer comes amid growing pressure on Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks on its infrastructure and maritime routes.
Why It Matters
El-Sisi’s offer is the first concrete one of its kind to propose defense assistance from a country outside Saudi Arabia’s existing Makkah pact, coming before expected Saudi allies like the US, where the Trump administration is yet to propose any assistance. This makes Egypt’s move a significant show of solidarity for Saudi Arabia which is now fending off and launching counter strikes against the Houthis with whom they have been at war since 2015.
The offer is in line with Egypt’s earlier interest in joining the Makkah pact, an alliance between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan that treats an armed attack on one member as an attack on all. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on August 9 that Egypt could join once technical issues were resolved.
What We Think
El-Sisi’s offer could be another way for Egypt to demonstrate why it should be included in the Makkah pact by showing that it is willing to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s defence even before formally joining the alliance. Although the offer does not guarantee Egypt’s entry, it shows their seriousness in being a Saudi ally by providing a defense commitment at a critical moment for the Kingdom.